The Witch's Relay

Chapter 17: Snowboar Hunt

I can't get Linda's words out of my head as I slowly walk towards the recommended questing area.

"Just know, if you ever need someone to talk to, I am here. Even if you refuse the therapist. I know how losing someone dear can be.." Her voice echoes in my mind.

I suppose she's right, this isn't my normal way of acting, I don't feel the same either. Although I suppose it would be more correct to say I don't feel anything at all. Not good, not bad, just nothing. I don't feel any loss, nor any drive to bring any feeling back. If anything, being blank is welcome, that way life continues without me having to act all pathetic.

Is this just my reaction to grief? No. Definitely not. This is something else.

Ohh. I know what this is. I laugh dryly at my own stupidity, not because I actually felt like laughing, but because it seems like something appropriate for the situation.

This is Master's doing. When she told me she could make things feel better she must have laid some sort of spell on me to remove any emotions I might feel, both good and bad. That is what the flash of light I saw before drifting into a sleep was.

Hmm. I'll have to ask her about it. It is not like I'm angry, or even regretful of it however since apparently at the moment Iincapable of such feelings. Instead, I simply don't care. Emotions or no emotions, I need to complete the task ahead, hunting snowboars.

I can ask Master about it later. It's no rush.

My destination should be about a four-hour walk from Northerton, but after half an hour of walking I realize something. If I lack any emotions, I also don't care if I'm miserable, which also means that I can keep a pace that normally would be way too painful without even minding the hurt.

I do consider the fact that my body will face a pretty harsh strain, and I need to be fresh for the hunt, but since my body is pretty well trained already, I should be able to hold together physically quite well.

I decide to up the pace to somewhere in between a fast jog and slow run, but to keep in mind to hold back enough so that I won't gain any long term injuries. I can always ask Master for a quick healing spell when I come back, so that is nice. That is if she decides to go along with it.

I arrive at the general recommended questing area in slightly less than an hour-and-a-half, my breaths in short bursts, and my shirt covered in sweat.

I quickly take a look around, and seeing no one around I hold out my hands in front of me. "Mother water who sustains all life and washes away the impurities, grant me your power. sphere of water." At that, a ball of water starts forming above my open palms and I lean forward to drink from it. The water was surprisingly clear and refreshing. So this is what it's like? Master never let me drink from hers, instead always has me find a brook or a river.

Prior to this I had only succeeded in making a dense mist, enough to make things wet, but not to drink.

Huh. So it really was just that easy? All it took was for me not to feel any doubt in my abilities and I succeeded. Interesting. Master's training really did work. I'm now a magic caster. I have what it takes to become a mage, although I do know it will take more than just a water spell. But this is a milestone nonetheless.

I do have my waterskin hanging around my waist, but since I made sure to drink lots along the way, it is flat out empty at the moment.

I repeat the spell, this time trying to cast it inside the bottle. Surprisingly it works, but the amount of water ends up being too much, building a pressure and popping off the lid, spraying directly into my face, leaving me soaked.

Oh, duh. Lid. Should have taken that off first. But seeing as the task has been successfully completed, I just refasten the cork, which hangs from the bottle connected by a leather thread. Grabbing the leather waistband I swing the bottle around my neck and onto my shoulder, the strap crosses over my chest leaving the bottle hanging at my right hip.

Time to hunt.

It doesn't take long for me to spot a wild snowboar digging up roots in a field, leaving a trail of an awful mess and a nightmare for a farmer to patch up.

While I never had to deal with snowboars where I come from, as a farmer from farther down south, I have had to deal with the destruction left by numerous normal wild boars, so I know from experience that it is a pretty miserable job.

The technique I plan to use on the animal is similar to what one would use during bull-fighting, which in this case works exceptionally well since this particular breed of wild hogs are incredibly aggressive. I plan to first draw the snowboar's attention by shouting and waving, which baits it into charging straight at me. However, before I get hit, I will jump to the side, but simultaneously as I dodge, I slash at its side with my sword. After a few rounds of this, the animal will collapse from blood loss and exhaustion, allowing me to run up close in order to finish it off.

"Sounds like a solid plan." I say to myself. Time to act.

I draw my sword and begin walking towards the boar.

"Hey!" I wave my arms. "I know you probably don't understand a word of what I'm saying! But come at me! You're dead meat!"

It looks up at me and snorts annoyed, maybe losing emotions actually is a positive development. "The old me would be overcome with doubt and fear right now! He could probably kill you, but not as good as this me can!" I continue shouting to the snowboar.

At that he charges, causing dirt to fly in every direction around him.

"Yes! YES! There you have it!" I encourage the animal charging at me, not as if I'm getting excited, but like I'm experiencing a massive boost in energy, which I realize is due to adrenaline, which without emotions only acts to make me stronger and refreshed.

This is incredible. Fascinating even.

I hold back jumping out of the way until he is just a few paces away, but I lift my sword arm in preparation to strike.

Right before letting the boar enter my sword's reach, I sidestep as fast as I can, throwing myself to the ground, but simultaneously swinging my sword down, slashing a long and deep cut along the snowboar's entire left side as it flies by me with a woosh and bark.

Funny. I didn't know that boars barked.

I immediately rush to my feet and face toward the injured snowboar. I raise my weapon again. Now rinse and repeat.